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Sepia Saturday – Coronation Party Baby

2012 is the year of the Golden Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, and there have been celebrations around the country. Our street party was rained on, and eventually we had to retire to the church hall for our food and entertainment, but a good time was had by all.

This photo is of our Coronation street party in 1953. The woman is my mother, and the baby in the hat is me. I’ve already had the comments about my Klu Klux Klan membership, but paper hats were still in short supply, so decorations were do-it-yourself. In fact many things were still rationed – sugar and sweets had only just come off ration. Food rationing wasn’t finished until 1954. Paper was rationed from 1939, and by 1945 newspapers were reduced to a quarter of their pre-war production size. Wrapping paper for all goods was prohibited.

Mary had a little lamb

But her sister came to grief

She lived in 1951

and only got corned beef.

This photo is probably in our back garden in Raynes Park, London, and I was four months old.

That could so easily have been me in that paper hat. I remember sweets being treated with reverence when I was growing up. By the way I think you’ve lost ten years somewhere, as it’s the Diamond Jubilee not the Golden; I wonder if she’ll make Platinum :)